HydRangea plant named ‘Saxbicodapi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Saxbicodapi’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; strong stems; and large mophead-type inflorescences with red purple and green-colored sterile flowers and when treated with aluminum sulfate become darker red purple in color with development.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SAXBICODAPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Saxbicodapi’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new container-type Hydrangea plants with strong stems, early flowering response and attractive leaf, stem and flower coloration.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from a cross-pollination in 2009 of two unidentified proprietary selections of Hydrangea macrophylla, not patented. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2011 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings in Dresden, Germany since June, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Saxbicodapi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Saxbicodapi’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Strong stems.     -   4. Large mophead-type inflorescences with red purple and         green-colored sterile flowers and when treated with aluminum         sulfate become darker red purple in color with development.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit as plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Horwack’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,577. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Horwack’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have stronger stems than plants         of ‘Horwack’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Horwack’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘Horwack’ differ in sterile         flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Saxbicodapi’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical developing inflorescence of Saxbicodapi'.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical developed inflorescence of Saxbicodapi'.

Plants used in the photographs were treated with aluminum sulfate.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown in 3-liter containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural conditions typical of commercial Hydrangea production conditions. Plants of the new Hydrangea were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 17° C. Some of the plants were treated with aluminum sulfate to “blue” the inflorescences (hereinafter referred to as “blued” plants) and some of the plants were not treated with aluminum sulfate (hereinafter referred to as non-“blued” plants). In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Saxbicodapi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Hydrangea macrophylla, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Hydrangea macrophylla, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 17 days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 19 days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 31 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 33 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white to             grey in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial subshrub; upright and             mounded plant habit; broadly inverted triangle; freely             branching habit with about 17 lateral branches developing             per plant; strong lateral branches; moderately vigorous to             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 33.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 52.3 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 21.5 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 3.6 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from vertical.             Color, developing, “blued” plants: Close to 143B slightly             tinged with close to N186C at the nodes. Color, developing,             non-“blued” plants: Close to 143B. Color, developed, “blued”             and non-“blued” plants: Close to 199C and N199C. Lenticels:             Density: Moderate. Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Color: Close to N186C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 11.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 9.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly apiculate to cuspidate.         -   Base.—Rounded to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous; slightly             rugose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker             than 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between             147A and N189A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close 147B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Inflorescence & flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and inconspicuous             fertile flowers arranged on terminal mophead-type panicles;             panicles flattened globular in overall shape; fertile             flowers face mostly upright and sterile flowers face upright             to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from late             spring to late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity, fertile flowers.—Flowers last about one             week on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower longevity, sterile flowers.—Flowers last about six             weeks on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 70 fertile             flowers and about 160 sterile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 9.3 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 14.8 cm.         -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 3.9 cm.         -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 8 mm.         -   Flower buds, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 65D;             apex, close to 145B.         -   Flower buds, sterile flowers.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter:             About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Petals, fertile flowers only.—Quantity and arrangement: Five             in a single whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm.             Shape: Ovate, concave. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, “blued” plants: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 100B. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 97B; apex, close to 145C. Color,             non-“blued” plants: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 62A. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 65D; apex, close to 145D.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a             single whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 0.1 mm.             Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B             to 145C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             145C to 145D.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a             single whorl. Length: About 2.3 cm. Width: About 2.9 cm.             Shape: Broadly ovate to reniform. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base:             Broadly cuneate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, “blued” plants: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 144B; towards the margins,             close to N79C; towards the base, tinged with close to N88C             to N88D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 147D; towards             the margins, close to 59D; towards the base, tinged with             close to N88D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 59C;             towards the base, strongly tinged with close to N82B to             N82C. With development, colors becoming closer to 63A to             63B; towards the apex, close to 59A; towards the base, close             to N88A to N88B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 75A             tinged with close to 147C. With development, colors becoming             closer to 77C and towards the base, tinged with close to             N88C. Color, non-“blued” plants: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 144B; towards the margins, close to 53B             and 60A; towards the base, close to 61D. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 147D; towards the margins, close to 53C to             53D; towards the base, close to 62A to 62B. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 58B; towards the apex, slightly             tinged with close to 147C. With development, colors becoming             closer to 143A to 143B; towards the margins, close to 59B;             towards the base, close to 61C to 61D. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 55B. With development, color becoming             closer to 147D; toward the margins, close to 53C to 53D;             towards the base, close to 62A to 62B.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Angle: About 20° from vertical.             Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 4 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, “blued”             plants: Close to 98C. Color, non-“blued” plants: Close to             70C.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Angle: About 30° from lateral             branch. Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, “blued”             plants: Close to 98C. Color, non-“blued” plants: Close to             63C and marbled with close to 63B.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only.—Stamens: Quantity             per flower: About eight. Filament length: About 2 mm.             Filament color: Close to 65D. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther shape: Broadly reniform. Anther color: Close to 155A.             Pollen amount: Moderate to abundant. Pollen color: Close to             156D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About two or             three. Pistil length: About 1.5 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color, “blued” plants: Close to 122D.             Stigma color, non-“blued” plants: Close to 65C. Style             length: About 1 mm. Style color, “blued” plants: Close to             122D. Style color, non-“blued” plants: Close to 65C. Ovary             color: Close to 157D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Hydrangea to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Saxbicodapi’ as illustrated and described. 